All to play for in the Libertadores

The all-Brazilian tie in the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores was left in the balance after São Paulo scraped a narrow 1×0 win over Fluminense on Wednesday.

The only goal of the game at the estádio Morumbi came on the 19th minute when Flu keeper, Fernando Henrique, failed to hold on to Dagoberto’s shot and the ball fell perfectly for Adriano to steer home into an empty net. See the goal here.

This was the big forward’s sixteenth of the season and Adriano’s strikes have now accounted for around 40% of all São Paulo’s goals this year. Unfortunately, for the Morumbi outfit, Adriano’s contract is up within the next two month’s and his departure will cause a massive rethink for Muricy Ramalho. The match was watched by almost 62,000, which was easily São Paulo’s best gate of the season.

I’m an Inter season ticket holder (though I support Fiorentina), and think it is fair to say that the only supporters who really want him back are those who were upset that he left. There is a still a significant group of die hard “Imperatore” fans, but their numbers have shrunk with time.

Personally, I don’t see him ever returning to his past form with a club like Inter or in a city like Milano; the pressure and distractions are simply too great.

To me, he’s this decade’s version of Edmundo (yes, I’m still bitter) and it would be better if all concerned if a deal could be worked out that would allow him to stay at Sao Paulo (who are my Interista son’s Brasilian team).

Love your columns! But, aside from soccer/futebol, next time you’re talking with the Globo bunch in Rio, please say hello to Arlindo Coutinho who writes about jazz/BossaNova/music; met him at the Allegro Bistro one Saturday, listening to some winderful music early last July.
AND — keep the columns coming! Obrigado.